


Edmund's Secret

by Celandine



Series: Narnia Sequence [16]
Category: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: Angst, Family Secrets, Ficlet, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-20
Updated: 2011-06-20
Packaged: 2017-10-20 14:21:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/213689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Celandine/pseuds/Celandine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lucy sympathizes when she learns Edmund's secret.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Edmund's Secret

**Author's Note:**

  * For [realpestilence](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=realpestilence).



Lucy bit her lip while she watched Edmund, who was sitting at the table with pen and ink and paper in front of him, scowling ferociously.

They were alone in the house that afternoon. Peter was spending the first part of the Christmas holidays with a friend from his college, and Susan had gone out shopping with a group of girlfriends whom Lucy privately referred to as "the gaggle". Mother and Father were at a charity matinée of violin music.

Quietly Lucy got up and slipped out to the kitchen. She made a pot of tea and found the last of a packet of ginger biscuits, shaking them out onto a plate. She piled all the tea things onto a tray and carried it back to where Edmund sat.

"Would you like some tea?"

Edmund started, his arm going automatically to shield his paper from Lucy's eyes, but not before she had seen what was on it: a sketch, quite a rough one for drawing was not one of Edmund's great skills, but nevertheless recognizably a sketch of Caspian.

Comprehension swept over her. She sat in the chair next to him and took his hand. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

She had been a little in love with Caspian herself, and had more than suspected that Edmund was, too. This was only confirmation.

"Don't, Lu." Edmund's voice was thick. "I can't bear it."

His chest heaved, and Lucy could see the unshed tears in his eyes. She did not let go of his hand, but leaned over to kiss his cheek. "It'll be all right. Aslan will make it all come right somehow in the end," she said with all confidence she could muster.

Edmund did not reply, but gave a single choked sob and put his arms around her, leaning his head against her shoulder. After some time he sat up. He wiped the back of his hand across his eyes and pulled a rueful face.

"I'm afraid I've made your jumper all wet."

Lucy shrugged. "It'll dry. The tea's probably gone cold, though."

He poured a cup and tasted it. "A bit, but it's still drinkable."

They drank the cooling tea and ate through the plateful of biscuits in sympathetic silence.

That night as Lucy was brushing her hair, ready for bed, Edmund tapped on the door and stuck his head into the room. "Thanks, Lu." He vanished again.

"What was that about?" asked Susan from her own dressing table.

"Oh, nothing," answered Lucy. She doubted Edmund would want her to share his secret, even with Susan, and so she couldn't explain.

As she snuggled down in bed, Lucy wondered if someday someone would feel about her the way that Edmund felt about Caspian.

**Author's Note:**

> For realpestilence, who wanted Edmund/Lucy or Edmund-Lucy, "comprehension".


End file.
